Refrigerating apparatus



Sept. 14, 1943;

L. A. PHILIPP REFRIGERA'I'ING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1940 2 SheetS -Sheet 1 INVENTOR. L4WQI16 1?, P IPP ATTORNEY.

Sept. 14, 1943.

L. A. PHILIPP REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 A Q z)? a I bnhwwmmwwmmw I.

INVENTOR. Lqmgzqa: 4. Ply/ P BY M MA ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 14, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Lawrence A. Philipp, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Nash-Kelvinator Corporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Maryland Application November 25, 1940, Serial No. 366,991 -1 Claim. (01. 220-9) The present invention pertains to a refrigeration apparatus and more particularly to construction of a refrigerator cabinet.

It is an object of the present invention to construct a refrigerator cabinet wherein a breaker strip joining the inner and outer walls ofthe cabinet about the access opening to a storage compartment is provided with a ledge upon which is adapted to rest lids or doors for sealing therewith the opening to the storage compartment.

It is another object of the present invention to provide in acabinet construction a means for attaching a breaker strip and afixing thereto a ledge so as to form a unitary appearance to the structure.

It is a further object of the present invention to arrange a ledge for supporting of closure lids oi the flip-flop type so that the lids lie below the top surface of the cabinet.

The invention itself however, both as to its organization, and its method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a cabinet with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in elevation of the cabinet with parts broken away and parts shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 of Fig, l; and

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged fragmentary view in cross section of a corner section of the cabinet.

In the drawings:

Shown in the drawings is a cabinet it having a storage compartment l2 The cabinet is of the type commonly employed for the storage of bottled beverages and the like, and for the cooling of the contents thereof. Any suitable refrigerating apparatus may be used for the cooling of the storage compartment, but preferably I wish to employ a system as disclosed and described in the copending application of Richard H. Swart, filed on even date of the present application.

The cabinet it comprises outer and inner metallic walls or shells it and i6 respectively. The inner shell forms the walls of the storage compartment l2 and is spaced from the outer shell or wall to provide for the insertion of suitable heat insulation ll therebetween.

which extends in overlapping relation from the outer shell or wall to the inner edge of the frame. The cover 24 is shown formed in straight lengths to be secured in sections along each of the four sides of the cabinet and joined at the comers by corner pieces 25. Where desired the cover 24 may be formed of a single piece of metal, or welded together to form a. unitary frame like structure adjacent the access opening 22 and thereby permit the elimination of the separately attached corner pieces.

An L-shaped member as is invertedly attached by nails to the inner side of the frame member 2t and extends contiguous thereto about the opening 22. A leg 2? of the member 26 extends over in spaced parallel relation to the cover 24 to provide a space therebetween for the insertion of tongue 29 of breaker strip at. Nails 32 secure the leg 27 to the frame 2t and also the tongue 2e and cover 26. The breaker strip extends from the tongue portion over the member 25 in contiguous relation and downwardly to overlie a marginal portion of the inner shell it. breaker strip thus forms a trim that extends about the access opening 22 and interconnects the inner and outer walls. The breaker strip is formed preferably of material having low heat conduction value such as soft rubber or the like, or it may be formed of some compositional matter providing it has the property of flexibility which is greatly desired as will be pointed out hereafter. g

To close the opening 22 there are provided a multiple number of lids N which are hingedly secured together in pairs by flexible interconnecting members 39. A sealing member oil is carried by one of the lids for sealing the opening formed with a lid of an adjoining pair of lids. The lids are here shown arranged to be of the flip-flop type though it will be obvious that they may be individually set upon ledge 45 with sealing strips along edges Where they abut an adjoining lid.

The lids rest upon ledge which extends about the opening 22 and form a seal therewith. The ledge 45 comprises an inverted L-shaped metal frame 41 to which is molded, or adherently afiixed of suflicient thickness rubber, plastic or other suitable composition material 50 having The low heatconductivity. The covering 50 extends along the rear side of one leg of the frame" and completely encases the leg 52 of fram 41 forming rail 53. The ledge is secured by screws 55 through the frame 41 to the frame 20. The screws also pass through and secure the breaker strip and inner wall It to the frame 20. The ledge is aflixed adjacent the bottom edge of the breaker strip so that the rail portion 53 is of sufficient distance below the top edge of the breaker strip to provide a recess within which the lids lie when resting on the rail 53. The sides of the breaker strip 30 thus serve to guide and position the lids over the opening when being moved into closed position. I

In the molding of the ledge 45 the material used may either be such as to harden into a hard glossy surface, or it may be of material to provide a flexible surface upon which the lids are to rest. In the molding or forming of the breaker strip 30 it is preferably formed of material having characteristic of flexibility to allow nailing of member 26 to frame 20. In the process of tacking, the body of the breaker strip is rolled or turned upwardly to expose member 26 to permit the driving of the nail or screw through the leg 29, after which the breaker strip is unrolled or turned downwardly over in concealment of the member 26. The bottom edge of the breaker strip 30 then being secured together with the ledge member by screws 5; to the frame 20.

The present construction thus provides for interconnecting the inner and outer casing by a breaker strip having contiguous thereto a ledge poviding a recessed support for lid members for closing the opening to the storage compartment. The ledge is arranged to form a unitary appearing structure with thebreaker strip and is arranged to be secured with said breaker strip to the inner casing of said cabinet.

It will be further obvious that the present construction may also be constructed by forming the ledge as an integral structure with the breaker strip, or the ledge be molded integrally and the metal frame attached by screws and the like thereto in assembling the cabinet.

While I have described the preferred form of my invention, I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details as shown, but wish to avail myself of such variations and modifications as may come within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A refrigerator cabinet comprising, in combination, inner and outer casings spaced apart with insulation interposed therebetween and being arranged to form the walls of a compartment with an opening being provided in one of said walls, means rigidly connecting said inner casing to said outer casing, a closure member for said opening, an inverted L-shaped metallic frame carried by said connecting means and cooperating with said outer casing to form a pocket therewith, a strip of non-conducting material having a portion extending into said pocket and over the outer face of said inverted L-shaped frame and in contact with said means and terminating in overlapping relation with said inner casing, a ledge member extending around the inside of said opening to provide'a seat for said closure member, a second inverted L-shaped member having a portion embedded in said ledge member and a portion extending over said strip and means extending through said second inverted L-shaped member and said strip to lock said ledge member to said inner' casing.

LAWRENCE A. PHILIPP. 

